Dates

7-23 February 2025

Location

Dutch National Opera & Ballet, Main Stage

Running time

3:25, incl. 2 intervals

Tickets

From € 30

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A devious dilemma

To save himself during a catastrophic storm, the King of Crete, Idomeneo, promises the god Neptune that he will kill the first man he meets. Unfortunately that man turns out to be his son Idamante. The king is torn between paternal love and his promise to the gods. This fateful dilemma is at the heart of Mozart’s masterpiece, with a starring role for the chorus.

A devious dilemma

Choreographer and director Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui is a phenomenon in the international dance and opera scene, and enjoys fame well beyond. He has choreographed for major pop stars such as Beyoncé and Madonna. For Idomeneo, he is working with dancers from his own company Eastman. The sets are designed by the Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota, acclaimed for her impressive thread installations. The constantly evolving structures composed of red ropes that she uses in Idomeneo have deep symbolic meaning. They represent the twists and turns of fate, and determine the space in which the dancers and characters have to manoeuvre.

Mozart in all his grandeur

Laurence Cummings, an expert in historically informed performance practices, makes his debut at Dutch National Opera. He will be conducting the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra and the Chorus of Dutch National Opera, guiding them through this fascinating score in which Mozart turns baroque conventions into a modern musical language capable of expressing the deepest of human emotions. The title role will be sung by the much-lauded tenor Daniel Behle, who previously enjoyed great success as the King’s Son in Königskinder and as Lohengrin. The scintillating cast of soloists also includes Cecilia Molinari, Anna El-Khashem and Jacquelyn Wagner, all Mozart singers pur sang.

Performance information

Opera in three acts

Sung in Italian

Libretto  Giambattista Varesco

Musical direction Laurence Cummings
Stage director and choreographer  Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui
Set designer Chiharu Shiota
Costume designer  Yuima Nakazato
Lighting designer  Michael Bauer
Dramaturgy Simon Hatab

Idomeneo  Daniel Behle
Idamante  Cecilia Molinari
Ilia  Anna El-Khashem
Elettra  Jacquelyn Wagner
Arbace  Linard Vrielink
Gran Sacerdote di Nettuno  Angel Romero

Dancers of Eastman

Netherlands Chamber Orchestra

Chorus of Dutch National Opera
Chorus master Edward Ananian-Cooper

Co-production with Grand Théâtre de Genève and Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg

Ticket prices

Discover ticket prices for each price category by following the link below.

Ticket prices

We provide discounts tailored for certain groups to ensure our performances are accessible to all. Please visit this page to determine if you qualify for a discount.

Price
category

Standard

CJP | City Pass | 
Youth aged 16 and under

1st

€ 178,00

€ 163,00

2nd

€ 154,00

€ 136,00

3rd

€ 129,00

€ 111,00

4th

€ 98,00

€ 88,00

5th

€ 65,00

€ 57,00

6th

€ 30,00

€ 24,00

Dutch National Opera & Ballet uses a system of dynamic pricing. This means that tickets for popular performances may increase in price as the performance date approaches and more tickets are sold. All prices exclude the booking fee (€ 2 per ticket).

Student discount and student alert

Last-minute deal! When a performance isn’t sold out, students can purchase a ticket online for just € 19 on the day of the performance starting from 13:00.

To stay updated on more offers, sign up for our student alert. This way, you’ll be informed in advance about which performances you can attend for just € 19!

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Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui

“Myths are like mirrors held up before us”

Director and choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui on Idomeneo.

Idomeneo, re di Creta
Idomeneo, re di Creta - Grand Théâtre de Genève 2024 | Photos: Dougados Magali
Idomeneo, re di Creta
Idomeneo, re di Creta
Idomeneo, re di Creta
Idomeneo, re di Creta - Grand Théâtre de Genève 2024 | Photos: Filip Van Roe
Idomeneo, re di Creta
Netherlands Chamber Orchestra

Netherlands Chamber Orchestra

The Netherlands Philharmonic and Netherlands Chamber Orchestra have been the main orchestral partners of Dutch National Opera since they were established in 1985. The two orchestras, with the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam as their main base, are regarded as among the best opera orchestras in the world. 

Photo: Anna van Kooij

Netherlands Chamber Orchestra

The Netherlands Philharmonic, with chief conductor Lorenzo Viotti at the helm, concentrates on the large-scale symphonic repertoire while the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra is a smaller, more intimate orchestra with 25 to 45 musicians led by concertmaster and artistic director Gordan Nikolić. Both orchestras present their own programmes and regularly work with internationally renowned guest conductors and soloists, as well as with the new generation of up-and-coming top musicians. The orchestras perform at numerous venues, bringing people together through their music and giving both classical music aficionados and new audiences a musical experience to remember. With their welcoming home base NedPhO-Koepel, located in east Amsterdam’s Indische Buurt neighbourhood, the orchestras are firmly embedded in the community.

In the 2024 – 2025 season, the Netherlands Philharmonic will be performing the operas Rigoletto, Peter Grimes, Die Fledermaus and Die Frau ohne Schatten while the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra can be heard in Idomeneo, How Anansi freed the stories of the world and the Opera Studio production Dido and Aeneas.

Partners Dutch National Opera Studio